Study: Vitamin D crucial to fighting all kinds of infection
Why does the story of vitamin D interest me so? I swear, I’m not one of those vitamin-popping freaks. I’ve never been a vitamin C zealot, nor a loud advocate of ginseng, royal jelly or even wheat germ. Yet, the continuing story of how vitamin D levels have been massively overlooked by the scientific and medical communities as a vital factor in human health fascinates and compels me because it is a singular example which illuminates a much bigger picture.
Science is wonderful. Medical science has saved so many lives and every day works what would have been considered miracles not very long ago. It is to be greatly valued and scientists and doctors are to be admired and encouraged to continue in the same vein. All of that is true, and yet, it is even more important not to forget one underlying fact: Everything that scientists and doctors think they know could actually be wrong. Everything. [Read more →]
Interesting poll via CNN, the results of which put a finger on much of what is misunderstood about the electorate in the United States of America. The headline is: 
Now, I know that Randy Newman is some kind of darned liberal, and (based on media reports I’ve seen) was quite recently in possession of a very fine case of Bush Derangement Syndrome. I don’t like him for his politics, but I do genuinely enjoy his artful and ironic way with a song. And all I know is that his song 
(written around 1974, but with something of an aura of 1934) has never been a more relevant and sharply-aimed arrow than it is at this very moment. Today, President Barack Obama, in the face of so much incredulity — on both sides of the aisle, mind you — and in the face of so much frustration on the part of average Americans, continues to pursue his ideological goal of getting the hands of the federal government firmly around the U.S. health-care system. On this particular day he is doing it by means of a televised “summit” with Democrats and Republicans from Congress, as if all of the issues have not had more than their due airing over the past 13 months and more; as if he has just not had sufficient time to make his arguments. He persists in this vein while the U.S economy continues to descend in its death spiral, with real working Americans (and once working Americans) continuing to suffer in ever greater numbers, and with no real recovery even in sight. 
Whaddya know? President Obama is talking up the economy. Based on a drop in the official unemployment rate to just below 10% (9.7%, to be exact), the president said today that 
I’ve been a pretty light Twitter user, all in all, but last night I decided to try “live tweeting” President Obama’s State of the Union speech, for the fun of it. And I figured I may as well recycle all of those stunning bon mots for this little piece on the subject today. 
At First Things, 
Various representatives of the Barack Obama administration were out on the Sunday talk shows in the U.S. today, trying to spin the election of Senator Scott Brown (R -MA) [and how often do you see that abbreviation?] as being an endorsement of the Obama agenda, particularly with regard to health care. 
The full transcript of the interview with President Barack Obama by former Bill Clinton campaign worker and staffer George Stephanopoulos is 
This past Friday night I attended a memorial mass for Richard John Neuhaus at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, marking the one year anniversary of his passing. I’ve written before about the impact RJN had on me, primarily through his writings; in particular through his profound and classic book 
. Friday evening’s mass was beautifully done in every respect (including the music provided by the choir of New York’s Church of Notre Dame). The homily was given by Fr. George Rutler. And near the end of the mass, Fr. Benedict Groeschel shared some warm, humorous and poignant stories of Fr. Neuhaus. 
There’s a book called 
One of the chapters in it was written by the late, great Richard John Neuhaus, and begins like this: 
